Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center
 24525 East Welches Road in the Village of Welches 
(on the west side of Oregon’s Mount Hood)

Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center was established by the Cascade Geographic Society to tell the story of the Oregon Trail on Mount Hood. This educational facility not only interprets the accounts of the travelers who passed through, but also the people who came and settled, as well as the rich natural resource treasures that attracted them here.  

The exhibits featured in the "Great Hall of the Westward Journey" at Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center, helps one to understand the tremendous difficulties and sacrifices of the emigrants.  Featured are artifacts that crossed over the Oregon Trail, including old tools, bibles, covered wagon and buggy parts, surveying equipment, and even a child's "viewing casket". There are maps  depicting the various routes of this emigrant path over Mount Hood and to the "jumping off" places in the Missouri River Country, and interpretative writings about this dangerous undertaking.

In another section of Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center is a small "Museum".  This features Native American artifacts, fish and wildlife exhibits, and items from the early-day resorts on the Mountain.  There are historic photographs that capture sections of the Oregon Trail on Mount Hood, and the historic villages like Welches, Wemme, Wildwood, Brightwood, Salmon, Cherryville, Faubion, Zig Zag, Rhododendron, and Government Camp and other settlements that were developed along this frontier route.

For natural history, Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center also features some special exhibits on fish and wildlife. Of special interest to visitors are the mounted species like a full-grown Cougar, a Red-Tailed Hawk, Screech Owls, Pigmy Owls, and a Deer. Future plans at the facility includes adding various species of anadromous and resident fish that live or one time lived in the Sandy River Basin.

A gift shop at Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center offers great books for sale, gift baskets, Huckleberry products (like jam and candy) and other Wildberry Jams, not to mention Wild Dried Mushrooms from the slopes of Mount Hood.  There are Oregon Trail walking sticks, maps, caps, tote bags, scratchpads, and much more, including nickel postcards and 25 cent note cards.

	SPECIAL EVENTS & PROGRAMS: Lectures, classes, and other events take place regularly at Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center throughout the year. An Old Oregon Quilt Show, featuring hand-stitched quilts from the Oregon Trail to the Depression Era is held each Summer, as well as other special exhibits.
		TOURS: Cascade Geographic Society’s interpretative tours of Mount Hood’s Oregon Trail and Barlow Trail, Old-Growth, fish and wildlife habitats, wild rivers, historic pioneer villages, etc., begins and ends here at Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center.
		RESTROOM FACILITIES AVAILABLE: Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center is handicapped accessible. It has indoor restrooms (equipped with hot water) that is available during operating hours.
		GIFT SHOP: There is a small gift shop: featuring Huckleberry and other Wildberry jams, flavored mustards, and hard-to-find items and unique gifts. This includes hardbound and paperbound books on Northwest and Western history, and on fish and wildlife, natural areas, Wild Mushrooms, and other resources; American Indian jewelry; video tapes on the Oregon Trail, Mount Hood, and American Indians; wildlife and historic note cards; Oregon Trail maps; and western prints. Located in the Oregon Country Exhibition Room, so please see hours and days of operation to see when the gift shop is open.
		AVAILABLE INFORMATION: Brochures and maps on the Oregon Trail and Barlow Trail can be obtained, along with information on the Mount Hood Area and on fish and wildlife and natural resources. Information on special events also can be obtained.
		HOURS & DAYS OF OPERATION: Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center operates with volunteers. The facility’s Emigrant Traveler’s Exhibit Hall [the outer exhibit area] is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Oregon Country Exhibition Room [ the inside room] is open Tuesday through Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., with an interpreter available during these days and hours to answer questions and, if you like, guide you through. Over 12,000 people visit the facility each year.
		REQUESTS FOR SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Stage Stop Road Interpretative Center is also open at additional times and, as hundreds of visitors have discovered, they can have a storyteller available to present a special program. Please call the Cascade Geographic Society at (503) 622-4798 for additional information or to make reservations for a number of special programs. Contact Us